One-Pot Chickpea Tikka Masala
One-Pot Chickpea Tikka Masala- an easy and nutritious meal made with warming spices, fire roasted tomatoes, fresh ginger and coconut milk. Just 30 minutes to make! (vegan + gluten-free)
I’ve been patiently waiting to share this recipe with you guys and it’s been driving me nuts! I made it a few months ago, before we left California, but with Thanksgiving themed recipes on the agenda I had to put it off for a while.
Then I tested it a final time in my new kitchen and was reminded of just how good it is. The blend of spices is so warming and the coconut milk mixed with the fire roasted tomatoes hits your tastebuds in all the right places. On top of that, it’s super easy to throw together and only requires one pot and 30 minutes to make!
Now can you see why I’m so excited for you guys to try it?
If you’ve never cooked with garam masala before, it combines a unique blend of pepper, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and cumin. A little sweet and a little savory all in one.
I tend to enjoy more of the savory spices so I used just enough garam masala so that you can taste it among the rest of the seasonings. A traditional recipe might use more masala but you can always taste test it and add more if you prefer.
I also like to add a hint of smoked paprika and cayenne for a little warmth and complexity. Again, feel free to customize it to your liking and use more or less!
Before we get to the recipe, I feel the need to warn you that the ingredient list looks a bit lengthy. However, assuming you have a well stocked spice rack, you should already have most of it in your pantry.
I like to serve this with brown basmati rice, fresh cilantro and warm whole grain naan for a filling meal that’s perfect winter. I hope it helps keep your bellies full and your bodies warm!
One Pot Chickpea Tikka Masala
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 30

Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced (approx. 1 and 1/2 cup)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 jalapeños, cored and finely chopped
- 4-inches fresh ginger, minced (approx. 2 tablespoons)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced (approx. 2 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
- pinch cayenne (optional)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 (15-ounce) cans diced fire roasted tomatoes*
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- brown basmati rice, plain dairy-free yogurt, fresh cilantro and warm naan for serving
Directions:
In a large pot, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and the salt, stir and cook for 3 minutes. Add the jalapeño, ginger, and garlic then cook for 2 minutes. Lastly, add the spices (garam masala, cumin, curry, paprika, cayenne) and the tomato paste then stir together and cook for 2 more minutes.
Pour the cans of diced tomatoes with their juices and 1 cup vegetable broth into the pot. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes, stirring intermittently.
Reduce heat to a simmer then stir in the coconut milk and chickpeas. Cook until heated through. Serve warm with brown basmati rice, fresh cilantro, plain yogurt and naan. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
*I like to use 1 can of no salt added fire roasted tomatoes to help reduce the sodium content of the recipe.
Click Here for Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts are for 1/4th of recipe
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback!
O yes! I love tiki Masala!!! Seriously the coziest!
I just really think you should come cook dinner for me. Like, at least twice a week would be great. I’m so sick of Thanksgiving leftovers and I’ve barely even eaten them, so something different sounds awesome!
I love this recipe and make it often! So delicious and easy!
Adam LOVES tiki masala! I had never had it until he made it a few weeks ago and it was delicious! Such a unique flavor. I’ll have to pass this version onto him :)
Yaaaaas I can see why you were anxious to share the recipe! I’m a uuuuuge fan of all-things tikka masala, and this meatless version looks spectacular. There really is something about that tomato-coconut milk-garam masala combo that wins every dang time. Le sigh..so much flavor. :D
Yessss to fire-roasted tomatoes! I seriously keep a ridiculous amount of them in my pantry at all times! haha This sounds sooo good! You’re making me hungry for dinner already!
I’ve made garam masala dishes before, but haven’t in at least a couple of years. This definitely looks like a comforting chilly weather dish! 1 pot + 30 minutes of prep is what I strive for with busy weekday dinners – so this is perfect!
This is not only a gorgeous dish, but sounds so amazing! I’ve never had tiki masala before but all the flavors sound so warm and comforting and bright! It’s finally cold here and I just want to curl up on the couch with a big bowl of this :)
This sounds so easy to make and since I have most of the ingredients available I see myself making this really soon. Can’t wait to try this:)
Thanks Stephanie! I hope you love it! :)
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I’d like to make this recepie for 10. Should I just double the ingredients? I’m worried that it might be strong with double the spices.
Hi Roya! I think doubling it would work fine. The spices won’t be too strong because there will be more liquid to dilute them. If you are worried about it being too hot, I might try only using 2 jalapeños instead of 4, and be sure to remove the seeds. I hope that helps!
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Hi ! For the coconut milk, does that mean just regular coconut milk that you would put on your cereal? Or one of the thicker ones generally used for things like this?
Thanks!
Hi Katie! The coconut milk that you use for your cereal is diluted with water. For this recipe you’ll want a thicker coconut milk, such as the kind you buy in a can. If you can find it, So Delicious Culinary Coconut Milk is great because it comes in a resealable box so you can save the rest for later. It’s my favorite! Here’s what it looks like: http://sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products/culinary-coconut-milk/original-culinary-coconut-milk
I hope that helps!
Perfect, Thank you! Can’t wait to make this !
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HI There! I want to make this tonight but the first supermarket I visited does not have the masala seasoning.. Where can I find it? Thank you!!! :)
Hi Athina! They usually carry it at any major grocery store. You could also find it at ethnic grocery stores or Whole Foods. I would ask a store clerk specifically for “garam masala”. It might be kept in an ethnic food section rather than with the main spices!
Thank you, Sarah! I am so excited to make this tonight! :)
This is amazing! I made it last night and it came out really really yummy! I have never made anything like it! So many spices and yummy warm flavors. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Athina! Thank you for letting me know! :)
Fantastic!!!
This is so delicious and it was so easy to make. I did increase the spices, but followed everything else and we loved it.
Thank you so much, Gigi! I’m happy you enjoyed it. :)
I also double the spice and added a little salt just out of preference. Added cauliflower in addition and used serrano pepper because I didn’t have jalapeno. Great dish. Thank you! Now I have lunch for the week + dinner tonight.
Making this for the second time right now! So easy and delicious. I had to add in some minced habanero and mushrooms to get my boyfriend on board, but he loved it (and requested it again).
Wow! Your boyfriend must really like spicy food. :)
Thanks so much for the feedback, Taylor!
I made it and it came out amazing! ❤
So happy to hear that! Thanks Jessica!
This is really good!!! Wonderful combination of flavours. I added in some grated carrot for bulk and nutrition – worked well – probably added a little sweetness as well. Thanks so much.
I love the idea to add carrot! Thanks for the tip, Kathy!
Oh…my….gosh….. so this recipe is AMAZING. I didn’t have any paprika or masala on hand, but I did use regular unsweetened cashew milk in place of the coconut milk, & added broccoli and some coconut sugar. Also added some extra onion/garlic powder because I eat way too much of that anyways and wanted to bump it up ;) Seriously, this is so good and so easy!!!! Love it! Thanks for the great recipe❤️
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Taylor! Thanks for the comment! :)
I’ve tried this recipe and love it, but do you think it could be adapted for a slow cooker? If so, any tips for how one might go about doing that?
Hey Adam! You could prepare the recipe through step 1 then transfer it to the slow cooker, add the rest of the ingredients, and cook on low for about 4 hours. You may need to add a little more broth but other than that, it should be good. Let me know if you give it a try! :)
Made this tonight and the whole family enjoyed it! Definitely one of my new go-to recipes. I accidentally added the entire can of coconut milk because I’m a klutz but it still turned out delicious. Thank you!!!
More coconut milk never hurts! ;)
I’m glad it was a hit. Thanks Meghan!
I love it! I used the whole can of coconut milk simply because why not! It’s a little lighter than the photo but it’s amazing!
That was supposed to be 5 stars, just FYI ⭐️
Thanks Stephanie! I don’t know why the rating function does that but I appreciate you clarifying. So happy you enjoyed it! :)
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This was really great! I added Serrano pepper because I love spice. I would love to make it for my sister but she’s allergic to coconut… any ideas for good substitute come to mind?
Hi Tamara! I’m so glad you enjoyed this! The only thing that I think might be similar is oat or cashew milk. They are both pretty creamy in texture. You might also just try leaving out the milk!
You can use normal cream if you don’t need vegan!
I made this and loved it. Can it be frozen?
Yes, it should freeze fine! Just make sure it’s cooled to room temp before freezing.
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Delicious and easy. I accidentally added 1 whole tsp smoked paprika and we didn’t even notice, haha! I also used 1/2 red chili because that’s what I had on hand. Thanks for a great recipe!
I’m so glad it turned out well for you! Thank you for the review!
if I wanted to make this with chicken, at what point do you suggest adding it in and how long would it take to cook through?
I have no clue because I don’t eat chicken and haven’t since I was 20 years old. I never learned to cook with it. Sorry!
great recipe! so yummy and healthy! you should know it’s actually “tikka” masala, if you are trying to make this an Indian-inspired recipe! :-)
Thank you so much for the kind review, Smita! I appreciate the correction as well. I’m embarrassed I didn’t notice that myself! :)
Hi, I wanted to try this for the first time, but I didn’t find any can of fire-roasted tomatoes at the grocery store… I’m from Quebec, Canada so it might be something that’s not widely available to us here, but I was wondering where you got yours. I am planning on using sun-dried tomatoes instead, to keep a lot of flavour – just without the roasted taste.
Hi Jenny! I buy fire-roasted tomatoes from Vitacost.com but you can used any kind of canned or jarred diced tomatoes. I would recommend that over sun-dried tomatoes since the flavor is so much different. I hope that helps!
Made this for my family who are shy of new dishes. (I have made some stinkers!) Loved it!
“It’s really really good!”
Lol! I love that. Thanks for the review, Amy!
This is so delicious! Love that it is gluten and dairy free. I make this every week. YUM!
So happy to hear that! Thank you, Emily!
This recipe was delicious, thank you! I ended up putting 1/2 tsp. more of garam masala, curry, and cumin when it was simmering, and then I added spinach and boiled sweet potatoes too. Topping it with yogurt was a great suggestion. Thanks again!
Love your additions! Thanks for the review!
I made this recipe last week and it was absolutely perfect and simple to make!! Hubs loved it too. It will definitely be on repeat in my kitchen!! Tjanks so much for sharing.
Tried to make this and it was absolute delicious! Will be bookmarking this recipe and remake it soon :) :) Thank you for sharing!
Wow- I don’t know how I came across this recipe but I made it and it’s so hearty and warming! Just what I needed after being off sick and with this terrible cold weather! Toronto, Canada is thanking you for this :D So delicious!
I’m so glad to hear that! Hope you are feeling better soon. :)
This is amazing! Absolutely love it!! Mine seems more liquify than your picture. Any advice on adjusting ingredients or using a good thickening technique?
I’m so glad you like it! Boiling it should cook off a lot of the liquid…I like to leave some behind to serve it with rice. I would say to just let it simmer for a bit longer until the liquid cooks off. :)
Oh my goodness, this was so good! I cut down on the ginger since it’s just not my thing and I added in some extra veggies and this was to die for. I added in some broccoli, zucchini and butternut squash in addition to the chickpeas. I also added in some chopped cilantro at the very end instead of only having it as a garnish. I can’t wait to make the entire office jealous with how good this is tomorrow during lunch!
Since switching to a plant-based diet last year, this has been the favorite recipe of both me and my husband. It checks all of our boxes and I doubt we will ever get tired of it… even if we continue to make it once a week!
I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you for the review!
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I see it serves 4, can you give me the amount it make please? Need to know how much is in 1 portion.
1 portion is about what you see in the bowl. One bowl = one serving.
Simple to cook – I added chicken (pre-cooked then shredded) – have to say this recipe has bundles of flavour without being too hot – love it – a keeper !
Great blend of spices! I doubled them and the flavor was amazing. I wasn’t a huge fan of all the tomatoes, I felt like there was too much and it was a tad acidic, but I can modify that to my taste. Thank you for a great recipe.
I eat tikka masala dishes regularly and it’s one of my favorite. I made this tonight following the recipe exactly as written. It tasted like spicy spaghetti sauce. It was totally overpowering with tomato taste. I added tons more coconut milk and sweetener to cut the tomato and acidity. If I make it again I will leave out the tomato paste.
I made this tonight and this recipe is amazing! Thanks so much for sharing it with us. I too added the entire can of coconut milk and yummy in my tummy as my toddler says. I didn’t add any jalapeños or cayenne though.
I’m so glad you and your little one enjoyed it, Cheryl! Thanks for the review!
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Can i use ground ginger for this recipe in lieu of the fresh ginger? I don’t typically keep ginger in my kitchen, but have all of the other ingredients!
That should work! Try starting with 1/2 teaspoon and see if you prefer more. :)
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Love this recipe!! So many great flavors. I didn’t have garam masala on hand and was still so good without it. One of my new go-tos!
So glad to hear that! Thanks for the review, Marie!
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I just tried this for lunch spooned over a baked sweet potato. So delicious. I however didn’t have fire roasted tomatoes. Just regular diced tomatoes. I bet it would have been even better with the fire roasted. Great recipe.
Absolutely delicious.
Made this for me and my roommates during the snowstorm this week… It’s gone. I’m making it again this week and doubling it this time!! Totally bookmarking this, it’s so good and foolproof.
This was very good. For my husband to say he didn’t miss the meat is a huge statement! I ran out of tomato paste with maybe half the amount and I think it would have benefitted from the correct amount for the depth of flavor. Next time I’ll add a second can of garbanzo beans. I thought it tasted even better the next day.
This turned out wonderfully! I love garam masala, so I used 2 tsp and skipped the curry powder, but added 1/2 tsp turmeric for earthy depth. Also added 1/2 tsp of cayenne and used serranos instead of jalapenos- I find most from the supermarket have all the heat bred out of them. I wanted more protein, so I added 1/2 cup rinsed red lentils along with the tomatoes and the broth. By the time everything was ready they had melted into the sauce, adding a wonderful creaminess and heartiness! The use of fire roasted tomatoes and smoked paprika is a brilliant touch! Will definitely be adding this to my rotation of recipes!!!
Wow! This was deeeelicious! I am on a new pursuit to eat more plant-based and this will certainly be in my menu rotation. Do not substitute on the creamy, canned coconut milk…it added such wonderful flavor and richness. I threw in grated carrots and fresh spinach to load up on more veggies. Several reviews commented on it being even better the next day, I can’t wait for my leftovers tonight! Thank you for such a yummy, satisfying recipe.
Hi – made this but skipped the tomato paste and the vegetable broth and was still very good. Added 2 TBSP of lemon juice for a bit of tang. And added about 3/4 cup chopped coriander (cilantro for Americans/Canadians).